Ryan finished the season starting all 16 games for the Falcons and passed for 3,440 yards, 16 touchdowns, and completed 61.1% of his 484 passing attempts. He was arguably the key catalyst for the Falcons improbable turnaround from 4-12 in 2007 to 11-5 and in the playoffs in 2008.

Ryan is the first Falcon ever to win the AP’s offensive honors, however three Falcon players have won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors: Claude Humphrey (1968), Al Richardson and Buddy Curry (co-winners in 1980). He is also only the fourth quarterback to win the award since the Associated Press annually began giving it out since 1967, following Dennis Shaw (1970), Ben Roethlisberger (2004), and Vince Young (2006).